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Experiment 1- Ramp State with 9.5 mm tube
Experiment 1: Ramp State with 9.5 mm Plate Settler Tube Diameter
This experiment starts with a flow rate of 6 mL/min and over the course of 24 hours, gradually increases to a flow rate of 50 mL/min. This flow rate range corresponds to a capture velocity range of approximately 11 m/day to 91 m/day.
Figure 1: Effluent Turbidity vs. Flow Rate
Conclusions
The very clear spike in the data represents the point at which the floc particles began to roll up the tube settler, which was confirmed visually in the experimental apparatus. The velocity represents the critical velocity. At a certain velocity, the turbidity stabilizes, and stops increasing. This is because at a certain point, the number of flocs rolling up in the settler cannot increase anymore, therefore the turbidity cannot increase anymore. Given the current data that has been collected, we are not sure if this curve accurately represents how the turbidity should change during the ramp state function. Futher experiments are being run to confirm this.